Bee Caves Chiropractic & Scoliosis Center

The number one job for most parents is to protect their little ones. Parents want to hold their children close and nurture them as babies, and do their best to ward off any dangers that could obstruct their children’s paths as they grow.

Yet no matter how well we treat our kids, or how much we tell them to wash their hands, eat their vegetables, and exercise, they are likely to get sick from time to time. Germs are all around us and we have become accustomed to this as a part of life.

But some ailments are not as common but can have even more serious consequences.

One of these is Idiopathic Scoliosis.

This is a curvature of the spine that can appear in growing children usually aged 10 or older. The condition causes the spine to curve either to the left or right and can lead to a variety of painful symptoms including back and neck pain, uneven shoulders, legs that are different in total length.

Signs of Scoliosis

One of the first signs of such a curvature is that the patient’s clothes begin not to fit. While this in and of itself doesn’t sound incredibly serious, idiopathic scoliosis is a progressive disorder. Left untreated, this can lead to significant body deformity. In the worst cases, it causes the heart and lungs to be negatively affected  as the rib cage begins pushing into the organs. The pain of this later stage scoliosis can be absolutely debilitating.

But, these are worst case scenarios.  The goal of parents and medical practitioners is to detect problems EARLY and work on a plan of treatment.

Here’s the Good News Regarding Scoliosis Treatment for Children

The facts support that if found early, modern medical treatments can significantly help reverse spinal curvature and help the child live a fairly normal and healthy long life. The test include heart and lung functioning,measurement of shoulders and legs, bending tests to look for symmetry, and even neurological tests to check for normal reflexes.

Check Early

The key is to have your child checked early. If an imbalance is found you should begin treatment immediately.

Past Treatment Options

In the past, being diagnosed with scoliosis led to treatments that were uncomfortable, to say the least. Most were fitted with a type of constricting bracing vest that was made of plastic or fiberglass. Imagine being confined in a hard jacket made of fiberglass, for 20+ hours per day? Obviously, not a positive experience for a young child.

Recent Advancements in Treatment of Scoliosis in Children

Thankfully, recent advancements have brought about some new products that are incredibly effective, AND pretty darn comfortable as well. This is because they use elastic fabric to achieve the spinal corrections versus rigid materials. The new braces work by providing resistance as the child moves about which causes the bands to then work to pull the body back to the corrective position. These braces, such as the Spinecor Brace, actually work WITH the patient to bring about the correct neuromuscular responses. The responses, over time, will cause the spine to straighten as the child grows. In the Austin, Texas area we use the Spinecor Brace as a treatment for scoliosis in children.

Successful Treatment Starts With the Patient

It is important to note that one of the main factors that leads to failure in such treatment is the lack of patient participation. Wearing a hard vest that is noticeable to ALL is not necessarily at the top of the list of things to do when you are a young, growing child. The amazing thing about the Spinecor brace is that its fabric construction is so lightweight and thin that it is virtually unnoticeable underneath regular clothes. This fact alone has increased the success rate of young patients who have been diagnosed with scoliosis.  Considering the hot summers we endure in Austin, any treatment for scoliosis in children that is easily accommodated is a good thing!  The treatment is not uncomfortable, it is not noticeable, but it IS incredibly effective.

When to Start Checking

Make sure to have your child diagnosed beginning when they are 10 years old. Scoliosis affects millions of people each year, and unfortunately, many go undiagnosed until it is too late for effective treatment to take place. Have your child checked, and if diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, look into modern treatments such as Spinecor Bracing which will give your child the treatment they need in a way they can easily live with.

A friend of mine created a short promotional video for me.  For Austin Westlake residents looking for a chiropractor, my office is in your neighborhood.

Sudden and painful injuries are an unfortunate but common fact of life. Sports injuries can be some of the worst. Because of the intense nature of many sports, sports injuries can sideline even the most physically fit for weeks, or even months.

The most important thing one can do if stricken with a painful sports injury is to take the most effective steps possible in treating it immediately following the incident, during the healing, and during the process of active rehabilitation and finally back to 100% full activity again.

As an Austin Chiropractor who has seen and treated my share of sports injuries, I would like to share a few tips to help ensure you return to normal strength and mobility as quickly as possible.

Ice the Pain – Immediately following the injury, it is almost always a good idea to apply ice directly to the injured area. Ice acts to both relieve the pain by numbing the site as well as reducing the inflammation that may occur that can cause increased pain and encourage fluid retention and reduce mobility as well.

Those who are active in sports should always carry emergency cold packs, and it is a good idea to pack a few on excursions such as hikes or biking trips as well. Runners often carry an extra pack or two in their fanny packs as twisted ankles can be a common injury to runners and they know that the sooner the area is iced, the quicker their recovery period will be.

Get Active! – I know what you’re thinking…”Doc, I just hurt myself, give me a break!” I’ll bet most of you were told that when you are injured, you should lie down and stay immobile until the injury heals, right? This is NOT necessarily the best advice now.

For breaks or incredibly bad sprains, limited motion may be what is prescribed, but for many lesser injuries, you will want to keep the blood flowing in the affected areas. I am talking mainly about stretches performed to increase blood flow. This increased blood flow helps to flush the injured area and deliver the healing properties needed not only to speed the healing process, but to encourage regular functioning of the affected area.

In addition, a chiropractor may even recommend light weight bearing movements depending on the severity of the condition. If applying limited activity won’t exacerbate the condition, it just might make it better.

Get back into the game! – As far as active rehab is concerned you don’t want to hit the field and continue your sports activities too early. However, mimicking the types of activities you do take part in as soon as possible can greatly speed your recovery as well. As an Austin chiropractor who has suffered from sports injuries as well, I know how important it is to get your muscles performing at optimum level again as soon as possible. Performing exercises that are similar to those used in your sport is a crucial activity in this final rehab phase before you return to “active duty.”

So remember, active recovery is the best and with the help of a qualified physician as well as an experienced chiropractor in Austin, TX or in anywhere that you trust, you can be back on your feet again and competing at your regular level of physical ability.

We’ve all probably seen an ultrasound image at some point in our lives and some of us (women especially) may have had gone through their own ultrasound diagnostic test. Ultrasound, simply enough, is a process by which sound waves are sent throughout the body. As the sound bounces off part of the body images are produced of the structures within and beamed to a video screen.

This is an extremely popular method used to look at developing babies in the womb and examining the heart for possible abnormalities as well, but can this burgeoning technology diagnose back pain?

As an Austin Chiropractic care provider myself, I pride myself on keeping up with new technologies—especially technologies that can help me more quickly identify problem areas of my patients and treat these issues.  With this in mind, I decided to take a closer look at the claims of diagnostic ultrasound equipment to see if it was really possible to “see” pain using these machines.

First of all, any equipment that would allow a doctor to see pain that a patient was experiencing would be a blessing indeed. Chiropractic care especially often deals with pain centers based on minute areas of inflammation or nerve damage.

Standards of chiropractic care in the Austin area, as well as in other areas of the US, follows the basic, but proven, procedures of listening to the patient. This includes performing a variety of biomechanical tests on the body to test range of motion and pain centers, and then administering gentle manipulation to help guide the spinal column to its normal positioning. If a piece of equipment could provide an EXACT diagnosis, this process would be much more targeted as the doctor would have an exacting picture of the problem area and know the best way to alleviate the pain. The problem is the claims made by the manufacturers of these machines have, thus far, much outweighed the chiropractic benefits.

First of all, the makers of Ultrasound equipment have attested to its effectiveness in using it to specifically identify problems in the spines of adults. The fact is, little or NO medical research exists to support the ultrasound manufacturer’s statements, and so, while the makers of this equipment may think this is POSSIBLE, it is certainly not proven.

In addition, because the tiny impingements that can occur in the spinal region are, well–TINY–modern day ultrasound imaging is simply not effective in providing pictures with enough detail to make accurate diagnosis.

Of all the evidence that exists to downplay the effectiveness of this equipment perhaps the greatest of all lies in the skill of the user. The training provided is offered by the manufacturer is less than comprehensive at just under 12 hours of instruction. From a medical perspective, 12 hours of training using a brand new piece of equipment may not be enough to a base serious medical opinion.

One crucial fact of the effectiveness of ultrasound equipment in ANY application relates directly to the skill and experience of the user.  In my opinion 12 hours does not equal enough training for running an ultrasound device.

Now, please keep in mind, ultrasound ABSOLUTELY has many valid uses. My point is not to downplay the use of the technology, but simply to question its effectiveness in the field of chiropractic care. I am dedicated to my patients and providing them the best care possible with the techniques and equipment available today. If there is something new on the horizon that is more effective, I will certainly give it a try.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe that ultrasound equipment does meet my criteria for chiropractic patient care at this time. As the technology improves, this may change in time. As for now, my Austin chiropractic team will continue to diagnose and treat patients using the most advanced and effective chiropractic treatments available, and you can be sure we will always be on the lookout for better and more effective methods of pain relief.

Patients suffering from hip problems may have a way of alleviating some of their hip pain by using orthotics. Orthotics are shoe inserts that are typically prescribed by doctors and chiropractors, but are also sometimes sold over the counter. Custom orthotics can be molded by an Austin chiropractor, or other professionals, to ensure maximum comfort and fit.

Orthotics can be the best bet to assisting with recovery of a current hip injury, or helping to prevent hip injuries in the future. Orthotics aren’t used solely for helping with hip problems, but can also help with other medical problems that athletes and avid runners suffer from. These problems include knee pain, foot pain, and shin splints.

Chiropractic Austin patients with sports-related injuries often have the best chance of successfully using orthotics to help with their pain. There are many muscles and ligaments that surround the hip bones, which correspondingly, cause the hip area to be an area prone to sports-related injury.

Because hip injuries can be severe and extremely painful, hip problems can significantly impede an athlete’s career if not corrected. Some hip problems are more severe than others, and orthotics are known in the medical community to help solve quite a few of these problems.

Much of the pain from hip injuries is caused by bad shock absorption by the body. This shock travels through the feet, and on through the body, and winds up affecting the hips, and even the lower back. Orthotics are specifically designed to absorb much of the shock that occurs when your foot is planted firmly on the ground.

Additionally, Orthotics can be used to even out deficiencies in the length of your legs. If one leg is even slightly longer than the other, an orthotic insert can even this length issue out. With the orthotic insert your feet hit the ground evenly which would in turn eliminate some of the awkward landings (and pain) experienced by your hips.

One of the major causes of sports-related hip problems is over pronation. In a number of medical research studies, the greater a certain athlete’s pronation, the more often they will suffer a hip (or other) injury due to overuse.

Orthotics can help to solve the problem of over pronation. If you have a slight foot or ankle problem, a difference in the length of your legs, or an improper gait, or stride, you are much more likely to become injured while running.

Orthotics can balance out many of these problems by causing you to walk or run properly, evening out the length of your legs, or causing your stride to become more appropriate. Although orthotics can not solve all of the problems that may contribute to hip or other sorts of pain or injury, they are an inexpensive alternative that may help to correct some of the problems that are causing the injury.

Besides orthotics, chiropractors will also advise that it is very important for athletes to wear properly fitting footwear with the ability to absorb a large amount of shock when you foot hits the ground. When your shoes wear down, there is virtually no ability for the shock absorption to take place, so it is important to regularly replace your running shoes. If your shoes do not fit properly, your foot will be shifting while you exercise which is dangerous and can also cause injury.

Athletes are encouraged to warm up prior to exercise, and to make sure they cool down for an appropriate amount of time after a work out.

Lastly, all athletes should regularly consult a physician to make sure they are training within their means and doing the best they can to ensure their entire body is operating like a well-oiled machine. All of these items, and incorporating the use of custom made orthotics into your workout regimen, can help you avoid painful hip related injuries.

If you are like most people in the world, your water cooler conversations revolve around (at least in part) the subject of abnormal postural biomechanics and the subsequent negative long term effects of unbalanced weightbearing on various musculoskeletal regions in the body. No? Well, me neither and I’m an Austin Chiropractor, but since that is the subject of our discussion, let me break it down into something that doesn’t make our heads spin out of control: Bad Posture and Misalignment = back and body pain.

I know that is probably a no brainer statement, but here is the real news. The actual physiological ailments and the result of prolonged misalignment have not been documented in a scientific manner prior to a recent study. This means the results that patients of Chiropractors have gotten through their adjustments, by extension, the relief experienced by their clients has been anecdotal at best, that is, until now.

Doctors Schweitzer and White of Thomas Jefferson University hospital have recently completed a study that shows, through Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI), the exact effects of what happens to the biomechanics of the body when the spine is out of alignment.

Their study was simple, yet very effective in making the case for the type of work that Chiropractors do each and every day. Simply put, they gathered subjects and knocked them out of alignment for a few weeks and then measured how their body was responding. They did this by placing a small arch insert into one of their shoes to gently, but effectively, force the subject’s bodies to be out of alignment. This would be similar to walking along for several weeks wearing one high heel and one flat, though not so dramatic. The compound effects of this uneven stress were enough to show that the negative effects begin to occur quickly.

Once the two weeks were up, these subjects were photographed using an MRI to see exactly what changes may or may not have occurred. The MRI’s were conclusive in showing the beginnings of bone marrow edema, or fluid buildup, in bones of the feet, leg bones, and hip joints. These results were astounding because these physicians were immediately able to create REAL visible physiological reactions based on misaligning the body.

Even more astounding was that once the insert was removed and the subjects were then photographed with the MRI, the bone marrow edema and subsequent swelling all but disappeared, and in several subjects, the edema completely disappeared.

I know what you’re thinking…”Ok Doc, what the heck does this all mean?”

Well, put simply, when the body is out of alignment, small but potentially significant changes occur throughout the body as it tries to compensate for the less than optimum biomechanics that result. This misalignment could occur because of prolonged bad posture, an injury, or simply a sudden movement that knocked you out of “whack”. The resulting effect can be that the bones near the area of misalignment can become brittle or receive tiny fractures as the weight of gravity on the body is not being distributed properly. In addition, the body’s process to try to repair this naturally can result in increased tissue and bone rigidity that will, over time, exacerbate or worsen the condition.

The important thing for the patient to pay attention to is like most of medicine: if detected early, treatment is easier and effective! What this means is, VISIT AN AUSTIN CHIROPRACTOR CLINIC TODAY for a detailed examination! Let an advanced chiropractic professional examine you and your source of back and/or body pain. A simple misalignment could lead to a worsening of symptoms and a lifelong condition that worsens with age. Regular consistent spinal manipulation can help to ensure your body is aligned, working correctly, and making YOU pain free.

Heel Pain. It hurts! The fact is, as many as 10% of the entire US population will suffer from heel pain at least one time in their life, and suffer they do. We spend so much time on our feet that anytime we have an injury in that area the suffering can be intense and last for months and months.  Recovery in an area that is constantly used can be slow going. This is certainly the case with Plantar Fasciitis, or its common name: heel spur.

As a practicing Austin Chiropractor, we know that a heel spur is a small hook of bone that can form on the back of the heel of the foot. While this is often the common name for the condition Plantar Fasciitis, it is NOT EXACTLY the same thing. Doctors may choose heel spur because, well, it’s a heck of a lot easier to say!

The fact is Plantar Fasciitis is the correct term for heel pain that many people feel for a variety of reasons. Heels spurs often exist in patients with Plantar Fasciitis, but they are not usually the cause of the pain.

The Plantar Fascia is the area of tissue and nerves that runs along the center portion of your foot and includes a portion of the heel, the arch, and the ball as well. When this area is affected by sudden or prolonged trauma, it can become inflamed causing constant and sometimes severe pain.

There are several causes of this type of heel pain with one of the most common being the problem of obesity. Overweight people suffer from this condition occasionally just from normal walking. Because we walk heel toe, the heel area of the foot takes the initial impact of most movement unless we are sprinting using the balls of our feet. Therefore, those who are overweight place a greater stress on this area just from everyday walking about.

Another cause of this painful condition is a sudden and traumatic impact such as when someone jumps off a high ledge and inadvertently lands directly on the heel area. This can cause sudden pain in the foot, or sometimes none at all initially, but over time the pain begins to radiate and increases. Perhaps the most common cause of Plantar Fasciitis is the overuse that occurs with regular exercise. It can be truly discouraging when an activity we are performing to try to better ourselves results in a painful injury.

Jogging is perhaps the biggest culprit of those suffering from Plantar Fasciitis. The key reason is when you jog, you are still moving heel to toe so there is direct impact on the heel,  and in turn, the Plantar Fascia area of the foot with each movement. The heavier the person is, the more likely this is to occur. The good news is, this condition is certainly treatable, and will not require surgery in most cases.

One simple treatment for this type of heel pain is to place an ice pack on the affected area to help reduce swelling. This often helps in the short run, but if there is true traumatic tissue damage, this ice pack treatment will only be effective on a temporary basis.

Another common therapy which is applied by chiropractors in Austin is to slowly stretch the calf area. Careful stretching of the calf on the leg affected can help increase the range of motion in the ankle which will in turn reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis as you move about.

A flexible shoe insert orthotic can also be extremely effective in helping to reduce the stress on the heel area of the foot, and in more extreme cases, a custom made orthotic by Austin chiropractors may be required.

Finally, Ultrasound treatment combined with a Vitamin C dosage has been shown to be effective in many cases to help reduce pain and inflammation.

No matter which method you choose, it is been shown in numerous case studies that full immobilization is NOT an effective treatment; active chiropractic therapy as described above is what is needed.

In only the most severe case is surgery actually needed to reduce the stress on the affected tissue of the Plantar Fascia area of the foot. A proper diagnosis by a qualified physician familiar with this condition will most likely result in one or more of the treatments above and get you back on your feet pain free as soon as possible.

If you are a sports enthusiast, avid runner, or your regular day requires you to be on your feet quite a bit, you’ve probably experienced shin splints at some point in your life. The shooting or aching pain as you take each step is recognizable, and typically happens after overuse, or too much physical training. Chiropractic care in Austin can treat your shin splints and get you back to your regular activities.

The term “shin splints” actually refers generally to pain experienced in the muscles of the lower legs. Often shin splints occur when individuals are training incorrectly, but sometimes it’s just excessive muscle use that causes the pain.

Most people who have experienced the pain of shin splints know that it is attributed to over working your muscles. Often after a tough training regimen the pain ensues, causing you to almost immediately regret overdoing it.

Also, many patients experience shin splints because they have recently introduced a new routine into their life, a new job, new, or significantly increased, exercise program. Shin splints are most often described as soreness and aching in the lower leg muscles when standing or taking steps.  Sometimes the muscle pain occurs in just one leg, but oftentimes it occurs in both legs at the same time as the overuse was in both legs.

When there is increased demand on your muscles, through running or walking, the muscles that help to take on some of the shock of your heel hitting the ground are stressed. Consider that Austin, Texas has an average of 228 sunny days each year, and you can understand Chiropractors here in Austin see shin splint sufferers fairly regularly.

Luckily, shin splints are easily treated. Before seeing a doctor, evaluate all of your recent activities, and what specifically may have caused the shin splints. This is the first thing the doctor or chiropractor will ask of you, so it is good to be prepared.

Before shin splints even occur you can take easy preventive steps.  These include ensuring your running shoes are in good condition, and that the shock absorbing qualities have not been eliminated from over use. If your shoes are visibly worn down, or the cushion is basically non-existent, it is time to replace your running shoes.

Another way to avoid shin splints is to make sure your shoes fit properly. If you are running in shoes that are not well fitted to your feet, you will more often get shin splints than an individual with properly fitting running shoes.

You can also work on running on better surfaces; often softer or smoother surfaces are healthier to your muscles. Another technique is to run in a smoother style, making sure not to plant your feet heavily on the ground, causing unnecessary shock to your feet, knees, and joints.

It is also recommended to make sure you have a good pad in the heel of your shoe. Orthotics are often necessary which may be custom designed by your doctor for maximum relief.

Many Austin chiropractor doctors recommend certain exercises following a bout with shin splints to make sure you do not suffer from them in the future. There are quite a few strengthening exercises that may help you. These exercise are generally prescribed after you have given yourself some down time to allow your body to naturally begin the healing process.

If you are suffering from shin splints, the first thing to do is stop what is causing them. If you have recently introduced a new running regimen, stop that for a brief time and focus on other exercises. You can reintroduce running into your exercise routing slowly after your shin splints have healed on their own.

Make sure that you are always warming up and cooling down before and after exercise, as this may also help to tame the bouts of shin splints you suffer from. And the use of orthotics may also prove to be valuable. Orthotics slightly adjust the way your heel hits the ground, and absorb much of the shock that may be causing the problem. A visit with your Austin chiropractor (or doctor) can help to diagnose the ailment and the best choices for a full recovery.

Ever since the days of cavemen, running has been a popular thing for people to do. Of course, back then, it was more likely to be done in order to catch that night’s dinner, but it still provides a few uses for us today. The most important benefit of running is how it helps to keep us in shape and help to provide us with a longer and healthier life. Running allows you to lose fat, decrease blood pressure, build muscle, and other healthful benefits. For some, however, running provides a constant source of pain in the legs and feet and forces some to quit the exercise altogether.

If you have spent any time at all talking about exercise with others you may have heard common sayings like “I can’t run, it hurts my knees.” or “Running is no good for your ankles.” The fact is running DOES put tremendous stress on your legs and feet and can lead to a host of painful ailments.

The top 3 sources of pain that runners develop in my experience as practicing Austin Chiropractor are those that develop in the Achilles tendon (the back part of your foot), Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain) and Patellofemoral discomfort (knee pain.) This makes perfect sense if you take a look at the mechanics of a runner going through the motions. First of all, the foot lands on the ground heel first…thus the heel pain that can result. Secondly, the actual impact of the leg hitting the ground means that the knee will take the brunt of the force which can result in trauma over time. Finally, the constant bending of the angle results in the Achilles tendon often popping like the string of a bow and can result in tiny micro tears that, over time, can cause excruciating pain and limit range of motion.

It’s no wonder why so many people decide to give up running! With the threat of ongoing pain and their assumption that running is the root cause, many decide to give up this beloved activity and opt for another workout or in some cases, quit exercising altogether. This is NOT the best alternative I can assure you, but I DO have a solution: Orthotics.

For those who are new to the term, Orthotics is the science of dealing with corrective issues of the joints and limbs. In this case, we are talking about the subject of SHOE INSERTS. You see, for all the injuries and maladies we have discussed above, most of them are caused by slight GAIT ABNORMALITIES. That means “running funny”.

The body is actually designed to run and if your foot falls heel to toe in perfect fashion and all weight is distributed evenly, then most of the time, no pain will occur at all. This is seldom the case, however, as even slight misalignments and abnormalities in how you run and how your feet land on the ground can cause the pain that we described above.

Most people that begin to feel pain from the impact of running simply assume it is “bad” for them and quit doing it altogether rather than seek relief. Those that DO seek relief often just opt for a new pair of running shoes. This MAY help somewhat, but for true pain relief, custom Orthotics are often what is needed.

Chiropractors in Austin TX have found that a custom Orthotic can oftentimes be a perfect solution for those that suffer from pain due to the impact that results from running. The process involves either taking mold of your foot, or using a pressure sensitive pad that you step on that will take a “picture” of your foot, or in some cases a combination of the two, to help the doctor understand exactly how your feet work when walking and running.

Processes like these can be used to determine what areas of the feet receive the most pressure when landing on the ground and will help the doctor determine what areas need the most support. This data, including a mold of the foot, will be used to create a custom Orthotic flexible shoe insert that will then act to provide overall support for your feet and legs while running and/or performing other high impact movements. The process is both simple and relatively inexpensive and has been responsible for getting thousands of runners back on their feet and enjoying the exercise they love…PAIN FREE!

So, if heel pain, ankle pain or knee pain has kept you from regularly enjoying a jog along beautiful Lady Bird Lake, here in Austin Texas, or wherever you may be, make sure you are examined by a qualified physician who has experience with orthotics to get a comprehensive evaluation today. A quality set of custom Orthotics may be exactly what the doctor ordered!

Do you regularly exercise, or happen to be an avid runner in Austin, or elsewhere, who experiences aching or soreness on the outside of your knee and lower thigh? If so, this may not be a minor issue. You may actually be suffering from ITBS- iliotibial band syndrome. Providing Chiropractic care in Austin, Texas gives me a few insights to ITBS, it’s symptoms, and choices of treatment.

Iliotibial band syndrome is actually the number one cause of knee pain in those who regularly run or exercise. In some studies, up to 12 percent of runners who have experienced injury are actually suffering from ITBS. The actual medical cause of ITBS is due to the iliotibial band rubbing over your lateral femoral epicondyle, causing consistent friction. If you are constantly on the move, this friction doesn’t end, which makes it a syndrome that is difficult to recover from. After the problem has started, even just a small amount of running or walking can cause ITBS to act up, casing burning pain in the knee.

Luckily, getting a diagnosis for ITBS is not difficult. Most doctors, chiropractic and medical, throughout Austin and elsewhere, are familiar with this problem and can diagnose you quickly based on the symptoms. Unfortunately, due to the many causes and underlying stresses that cause ITBS to act up, it is sometimes difficult to treat the problem.

If a chiropractic patient wants to return to normal activity and get back to running, they are going to have to take on quite a bit of rest and lifestyle change to get back to normal. Oftentimes, this also has to do with orthotic support and posture, so the patient’s entire lifestyle will have to be examined.

The first thing that the patient will most likely need to do is refrain from strenuous activity to give the problem some time to heal on its own. It takes the body some time to heal itself, so avid walkers and runners are just continuously beating the ITB up rather than giving it plenty of time to heal on its own.

Some chiropractors prescribe approximately one month of refraining from all physical activity from exercise to simple chores as part of their treatment for ITB. The ITB helps to regulate stability in the pelvis, and also controls muscle movement of the thigh as your foot is planted on the ground. It also acts as a stabilizer for the knee. This is why every step you take can aggravate the problem of ITBS. Because walkers and runners are constantly in motion, this repetitive task causes a large amount of friction, in turn, causing pain.

Many patients self diagnose and treat with medications such as steroid injections and NSAID’s, which are not necessarily the best thing for the problem and may actually interfere with your recovery. These anti-inflammatory medications would be great if there were actually an inflammatory problem, but ITBS actually is actually caused by a degeneration of collagen tissues due to overuse, so this doesn’t affect inflammatory cells.

Orthotic support is one of the keys to recovery. In some cases, a flexible, or semi-flexible orthotic, can help give you a slight lift which may help to balance out any leg length issues. A number of documented studies in the treatment of ITBS have seen a decrease in this friction when patients were using orthotics, because the orthotics can shift the knee position and help to take on some of the shock to the joints when your heel strikes the ground. Often, for a long term treatment,  chiropractic patients are often counseled to have custom-made orthotics to balance out underlying faults.

Overall, if you think you may be suffering from ITBS, the best thing to do is visit a doctor for a diagnosis. A chiropractic doctor can definitely help diagnose this for you. If you want try reducing the pain on your own, it may be wise to take a few days off from your normal exercise routine to see if eliminating the constant friction causes the symptoms to decrease. In Austin, TX almost every weekend my chiropractic patients have many athletic events in which to participate, and may be tempted to continue exercising despite what their body tells them .

ITBS has many causes, and you can employ a variety of approaches to eliminate the symptoms. Bottomline, a doctor’s diagnosis, and the use of orthotic supports may get you on your way to recovery.